Salary History Error: Why the EU Banned It and What to Say
A salary history error, or a recruiter still asking for your current pay? Here is why the EU banned the question and what to answer instead.
"What's your current salary?" - this question has cost workers millions in lost earnings. Finally, the EU has banned it.
Seeing a "salary history" error on an application?
Some application forms and ATS portals reject a blank salary field, or throw a validation error the moment you try to submit without one. Practical fixes, in order:
- If the field is optional, leave it blank and submit.
- If it is required, enter the range for this role - not your old salary: "Expected: DKK X-Y" or "Negotiable".
- If the form insists on "current salary", use the deflection below. The directive is on your side.
If the error blocks the submit button and there is no way past it, screenshot it and apply through the company's own careers page instead. An error on a third-party application form is a form bug, not a problem with your application.
The Problem with Salary History
When employers base your new salary on what you earned before, they inherit every unfair pay decision from your past.
What the Law Says
- Employers cannot ask about current salary.
- Employers cannot ask about salary history at any previous employer.
- This applies during recruitment, interviews, and offer negotiations.
What to Say If Asked Anyway
*Professional deflection:* "I'd prefer to focus on the value I can bring to this role. What's the salary range you've budgeted for this position?"
*Direct approach:* "Under the EU Pay Transparency Directive, I understand this question is no longer appropriate. I'm happy to discuss my salary expectations based on the role's responsibilities."
The Bigger Picture
Combined with mandatory salary disclosure and pay-gap reporting, this creates a hiring market where wages are set more by the value of the work than by historical inequity.